PSC warns of increase in caller ID ‘spoofing’

JACKSON — The Mississippi Public Service Commission reports it has seen an increase in “spoofing” telephone calls throughout Mississippi.

Caller ID spoofing is the practice of causing the telephone network to display a number on the recipient’s caller ID display, which is not that of the actual caller. Residents will see a number on their caller ID that shows the same local exchange. When the call is answered, residents find that the call is actually a deceptive telemarketing call.

“This type of misrepresentation has unfortunately become common with deceptive telemarketing calls. My office is seeing an increase in these types of calls and we are investigating them,” said Public Service Commissioner Leonard Bentz said.

The Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act was enacted in Jul 2010. The act outlaws deceptive techniques such as showing a different number on a person’s caller ID than the one that is actually being used to make the call. Anyone found guilty of violating the act can be fined, as a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and prosecuted for an unfair trade practice under existing state law.